Re: Variable substitution in psql backtick expansion

Fabien COELHO <coelho@cri.ensmp.fr> writes:
> I also like Daniel's idea to update formatting rules, eg following what is 
> done for environment variables and accepting that it won't fit in one page 
> anyway.

Yeah.  When you look at all three portions of the helpVariables output,
it's clear that we have faced this issue multiple times before and not
been too consistent about how we dealt with it.  There are places that
go over 80 columns; there are places that break the description into
multiple lines (and some of those *also* exceed 80 columns); there are
places that just shove the description onto the next line.

I think we should go with Daniel's idea for all three parts.

> I like trying to keep the 80 (or 88 it seems) columns limit if possible, 
> because my getting older eyes water on long lines.

Me too :-(.  Also, it seems like we should not assume that we have
indefinite amounts of space in both dimensions.  We've already accepted
the need to page vertically, so let's run with that and try to hold
the line on horizontal space.

> In the documentation, I do not think that both SERVER_VERSION_NAME and 
> _NUM (or whatever their chosen name) deserve two independent explanations 
> with heavy repeats just one after the other, and being treated differently 
> from VERSION_*.

I started with it that way, but it seemed pretty unreadable with the
parenthetical examples added.  And I think we need the examples,
particularly the one pointing out that you might get something like "beta".

> Seeing it as is, it calls for having "SERVER_VERSION" as well, but I'm not 
> sure of the better way to get it. I tried with "SELECT VERSION() AS 
> SERVER_VERSION \gset" but varnames are lowerized.

The problem there is you can't get version() without an extra round trip
to the server --- and an extra logged query --- which people are going to
complain about.

			regards, tom lane